The smell of carne asada in the air reminded Yaritza Castro Guadalupe, a sophomore education major, of her father’s cooking.
Guadalupe said her dad used to do carne asadas every weekend, but he stopped and hasn’t done one in a while. She said it was nice to be able to do something similar to that again.
“It’s been a minute,” Guadalupe said. “So, it’s really nice coming out here and staying in the community.”
The Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students and the Eta Rho Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. hosted a Carne Asada cookout Monday night in Centennial Plaza to celebrate community and the end of Hispanic Heritage Month.
National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and it gives extra recognition to the many contributions made by the Hispanic community in the United States, according to the National Museum of the American Latino. It states that the timeframe of the month is significant because many Central American countries celebrate their independence days within these dates.
Attendees lined up for a spread of foods brought by members of HOLAS and Iota Phi Theta. Most of the foods HOLAS members brought were homemade.
Food included rice, carne asada, hot dogs, tortillas and other sides and toppings. HOLAS Advisor Fabián Álverez, English assistant professor, cooked the carne asada and hot dogs on a grill at the end of the table.
Multiple refreshments were also served, including water, soda and “agua fresca de mango,” made by a member of HOLAS.
HOLAS President Michelle Ramos, a senior public health major, said the Carne Asada event hasn’t been done since her freshman year in 2022. She said they wanted to bring the event back this year since there was a good turnout when it was last organized.
“You’ve heard about how you’re ‘invited to the cookout’ and stuff,” Ramos said. “Well, for us, you’re invited to the carne asada.”
Iota Phi Theta President Marquavis Baker, a junior computer information technology major, said Iota Phi Theta helped with and attended the event to support HOLAS. The fraternity brought water bottles and hot dogs to the event, Baker said.
“It’s nice to get to know each other’s heritage, get to know each other’s community, get to know each other,” Baker said. “It allows us to all bond, allows us to understand each other better and be able to have good times.”
Grace Archey, a freshman special education and elementary education double-major, attended the event for the food, but also to learn more about Hispanic culture.
“I feel like learning about the culture is really fun too, as someone who’s not Hispanic,” Archey said.
There was also a taco-shaped piñata that attendees tried to break at the end of the night while HOLAS members sang in Spanish. People rushed into the grass to collect various chocolates and candies that spilled out of the broken piñata.
Keiovon Wells, a sophomore sports management major, attended the event with Iota Phi Theta. Wells participated in breaking the piñata at the event, and he said he enjoyed the food.
Wells said his favorite part of the night was getting to talk to everyone. He said it felt good to take a break in the middle of the semester when people are really busy.
“It’s later in the semester, so everybody’s trying to just get away from work for a second,” Wells said. “So, it feels good to kind of get away from schoolwork and just kind of breathe.”
